Electric alarm device.



ELECTRIC ALARM DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED `AUG,v 1906.

YHE Nonms PETERS co., wAsHmn'mN, n. c.

PATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN F. ONEILL, OF NEWBURGH, NEW YORK.

g ELECTRIC ALARM DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed August 4, 1906. Serial No. 329,257.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. ONEILL, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Newburgh, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric AlarmDevices, of which the following is a specification accompanied bydrawings.

This invention relates to electric alarm devices, and the object of theinvention is to construct an automatic electric signaling device adaptedto be used in the household in an ice-chest or ice-box for indicatingwhen the drip-pan is full of water from the melted ice, therebypreventing the overflow of the water, which ordinarilyT causes muchinconvenience and annoyance.

The device is so constructed that it is particularly adapted when in useto meet the conditions specified and insure that due notice shall begiven the occupants of the household when the drip-pan is full of water.

The device is simple in construction and cheap to manufacture and mayreadily be placed in the bottom of the ice-chest underneath the drip-panwithout interfering in any way with the ordinary use of the ice box orchest.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear; and to theseends the invention consists of a device for carrying out the aboveobjects embodying the features of construction, combinations ofelements, and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operationsubstantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed in thisspeciiication and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure lis a perspective view of the device connected in circuit. Fig. 2 is alongitu- `dinal sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 isa front view of the lower portion of an ice-chest with the drip-pan andalarm device in position.

It is necessary that the mechanism of the device be so constructed thatit will be simple in operation and at the same time will prevent shortcircuits, which would cause the alarm or signal to be prematurelysounded or indicated. The contact device is adapted to be placed eitherupon a stone, cement, or wooden floor or ioor of other insulatingmaterial, or else it may be placed within a metal-lined box or chest,without danger in the latter case of short circuits occurring throughthe metal lining of the chest.

The base A of the apparatus is preferably of metal constructed in theform of a horseshoe-that is, substantially U-shaped-in order to make themechanism as cheap and light as possible and obviate the use of Wastemetal. The base A may be made of one continuous piece of metal stamped,cut, or otherwise formed in a desired shape. A movable member orplatform B is suitably hinged or pivoted at one end, preferably to theopen end ofthe base A, in this instance the base being provided withears C, in which are piv oted studs or projections D on the platform B,thereby permitting the platform to swing at its pivotal points. Themember B may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably wood orother insulating material, and, as shown, is substantially of the formof the interior portion of the base A, so that interference of movementsof the platform is prevented. The platform B is preferably provided withan outer rim E of metal for strengthening purposes to prevent the woodenmember from splitting or becoming warped from moisture. As shown, themetallic rim E is suitably secured to the meinber B by pins, nails, orother fasteningvdevices F, and this rim preferably projects above thesurface ofthe platform to take the weight of the drip-pan G, as shown inFig. 3. The drip-pan is ordinarily larger than the alarm device and willrest partly on the bottom of the ice-chest or on the iioor and partly onthe rim E.

Projecting from the end of the platform B opposite the pivots is shown ametallic contact-tongue H, normally separated from the base A by meansof the spring I, but adapted to make contact with the base and completethe circuit when the weight of the water in the drip-pan presses theplatform down against the tension of the spring. Preferably the frontportion of the rim E is cut away a sufficient distance at J to preventelectrical contact between the tongue H and the rirn, which wouldotherwise short-circuit the apparatus.

The spring I is suitably supported from a bridge K, suitably secured tothe base A over the tongue H and of sufficient height to permit a springof any desired character to be suspended within the bridge. Means arealso provided for adjusting the tension of the spring, so that thedevice may be adjusted for differentsized pans to hold different amountsof water. Furthermore, the ten- TIO vided, but in this instance I haveshown a n adjusting-screw L, carried vertically in an insulating-sleeveO, which extends through an aperture in the top ofthe bridge K and-`insulates the screw from the metal bridge. The spring I vis shown inIthis instance in the form of a coiled spring, which is connected inyanysuitable manner to the tongue and to the lower end of the.adjusting-screw L. Suitable lock-nuts Pand Q on the screw L permit saidscrew to be adjusted up and down and flocked in position, and these`nuts also form abinding-post for one of the electric wires R. The otherwire S, as shown, is `connected to the ybinding-post T, carried by the4base A, and .these wires in use should be connected with a suitablebattery U and any form of k.alarm or indicating device-as, for instance,a bell V-although an electric light could be used, if desired.

Inthe operation of .th eapparatus when the weight ofthe water issufficient to depress lthe platform B and tongue H, so that the tongueis in contact with the base A, afcircuit will lbe completed from thebattery U by means of the vwire R to and through the `screw L, downthrough the spring to the -tongue H, which is in contact withvthe baseA, and the circuit will then pass through the base and out by -the wireS, through the bell V, back tothe battery U, thereby sounding the belland notifying the occupants of the household that the ice is melted andthe pan is full of water. When the pan is emptied, the platform B andtongue H resume their normal position.

It will be seen that owing to the arrangement of the insulation thedevice may be resting directly on a `metallic surface but shortcircuitswill not occureven if a metallic pan is -placed partly on the platform Band partly on the metallic surface upon which thedevice rests, becausethe tongue H is entirely insulated from the metallic rim E and from thebase A.

Obviously some features of this invention may be used without others`and the invention maybe embodied in vwidely-varying forms.

Therefore, Without limiting myself to the construction shown anddescribed, I claim, and desire `to obtain by Letters Patent, thefollowing:

l. An electric overflow-alarmor indicating device for ice-boxes andother uses comprising a metallic base, a bridge at one end, a.

movable member or platform vpivoted at the other end of the base andadapted to support a pan or other receptacle, a contact connected tosaid platform and insulated therefrom,

means connected to the bridge for resisting downward pressure on saidpivoted base, and electrical indicating meansv adapted to be set inoperation when the said contact touches the base due to the weight ofthe material in the pan.

2. An electric overflow-alarm or indicating device for ice-boxes andother uses comprising a metallic base, a bridge at one end, a movablemember or platform pivoted at the other .end of the base .and adapted tosupport a pan or other receptacle, a contact connected to said platformand insulated therefrom, adjustable means vconnected to the bridge forresisting downward pressure .on said pivoted -ba-se, and electricalindicating means adapted to be set in operation lwhen the said contacttouches the vbase due to the weight of the material inthe pan.

3. An electric overflow-,alarm or indicat ingfdevice for ice-boxes andother uses comprising a metallic' base, .a bridgeatone end, a movable`member pivoted at theother end of the base and adapted to support a panor other receptacle, an insulated contact-tongue projecting from saidAbase and extending underneath said bridge, a spring connecting thetongue with the bridge, and electrical indicating means adapted to beset in operation when the said tongue comes in contact with the base dueto the weight ofthe lwater or other material in the pan.

4. An electric overflow-alarm or indicat-` ing device for ice-boxes `andother uses comprising a ybase, a bridge connected thereto, a movablemember or platform pivoted atene end of the said base, a contact-tonguesecured to said member and insulated therefrom, and an adjustable springconnecting said bridge to said tongue and adapted to yield to pressureon the movable member, and an electric alarm included in the circuit ofthe base, the contact-tongue and said spring.

5. An electric overflow-alarm or indicating device for ice-boxes andother uses comprising a metallic base, a metallic bridge securedthereto, a wooden member or platform provided with a reinforcingmetallic edge, one end of said member being pivoted to the base, a`metallic contact-tongue secured to the wooden portion of said platformandin sulated from the metallic rim, an adjustable spring connectingsaid bridge to said tongue, and an .electric alarm device included inthe circuit of the base, the contact-tongue and the spring.

6. An electric overflow-alarm or indicating device for ice-boxes andother uses comprising a metallic base, a platform of insulating materialpivoted at one end to the base and provided at the other end with acontact adapted `to coperate with the base, a bridge over said contact,an adjusting-screw carried by said bridge and insulated there- IOO from,a retraoting-spring connecting said In testimony whereof I have signedthis Contact with the screw, adjusting-nuts 0n specification in thepresence of two subsorib- [o said screw7 and an electric alarm orindioating witnesses. i

ing device included n the circuit of the T 4 screw7 the spring, theContact and the base, JOHB F O NEILL' whereby a circuit will becompleted when the Witnesses: tongue is brought into 'Contact with thebase PETER CANTLINE,

due to pressure upon the platform. HARRY MCDOWELL.

